It's Monday! What Are You Reading #IMWAYR 4/2/2018

                                                           

With the popularity of mermaids and unicorns in elementary school, Third Grade Mermaid by Peter Raymundo is a hit in our library! This is a debut chapter book from a seasoned animation artist, so besides the cute story, the artwork is AMAZING! Cora is small mermaid with big dreams. She longs to be a part of the popular "Singing Sirens" swim team but a poor grade on a spelling test leaves her temporarily off the team until she can improve her grade. She tries to study, but a series of roadblocks distracts her from her goal (such as finding and keeping a gigantic shrimp as her new pet or making time for her friends, a jellyfish and a sea cucumber). Her mother gives her a diary to help her study and as she writes about her adventures, Cora successfully uses all of her spelling words to tell her tale.

This books has so many positive features. It's told in diary format which students love, there are only a few sentences on each page with short chapters, which is perfect for young readers who are intimidated by longer chapter books, and the artwork makes it seem a little like a graphic novel (a hugely popular trend). There are also many lessons mixed into the fun story about kindness, friendship, self esteem, and working hard. Also, the humor is also perfect for the 6-10 age level. Cora is sassy without being rude and her views on life under the sea are sweet and perfectly age appropriate.  It's often hard to find a title that bridges the gap between picture books and chapter books, but this one does the trick. His second novel Third Grade Mermaid and the Narwhals is just as fun and a great addition to our shelves.


                                                                   

I absolutely loved this book. Greetings From Witness Protection by Jake Burt kept my interest from beginning to end, and I think it's a story middle grade students will really like. Nicki is a foster kid who has been kicked around the system for years. She's street smart and  book smart, and also happens to be an excellent pickpocket. While between homes once again, Nicki get approached by the U.S. Marshalls to join a family in the Witness Protection Program. This family is on the run from a dangerous crime organization and adding a daughter will hopefully throw the mob goons off their scent. Joining this family means a chance for Nicki to totally start over as Charlotte Trevor. Charlotte now lives a typical suburban life far from New York complete with a tree lined street, southern block parties, and nice friends that bake cookies. The fiercely smart foster girl with a penchant for stealing is gone and in her place is an average student who must be careful never to excel in grades or extra curricular activities since flying under the radar is incredibly important. It takes her twice as long to take a test because she has to purposely try to get the answers wrong! The U.S. Marshalls are counting on Nicki/Charlotte to use her cleverness to keep the family safe (including one new annoying little brother).

This is a fast paced, highly suspenseful book. At first, it seems like a dream come true for Nicki to finally get loving parents and a stable life, but of course that comes with the constant threat of danger that can never be too far away from her thoughts. Her new "brother" doesn't seem to get the precautions the family has to take and without giving too much away, he puts all of them in unnecessary danger. I wanted to reach through the pages and shake some sense into him!  Everyone in her new town loves the new Nicki/Charlotte but while reading about her much longed for wonderful relationship with her new "mom" we are reminded that Nicki's past disappointments and hurt as a foster child isn't just going to simply disappear. She is there to help this family, but she needs a little help herself. She is very witty and there are many times I laughed while reading this story. Also, Nicki is a character I rooted for from the first pages of the book. She deserves a better life. One tiny thing about this story bugged me- Nicki is only thirteen and I felt like too much of the family's safety is placed on her teenage shoulders. Surely the adults should have more responsibility in this regard. That aside, I thought it was a terrific book. I would recommend this for fifth grade and older. I think it could be a little scary for younger students and the main characters are all in 7th grade, so that's where it would do best.


                                                                

Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh is my favorite kind of book- deep dark secrets come to light in a haunted house and old ghosts ensue. Harper Raine and her family move to Washington D.C. from New York. They are trying to get a fresh start after a disturbing incident occurred in Harper's old school. Unfortunately, Harper can't remember anything about what happened, and her doctors have assured her parents that a fresh start would be the best solution. After moving, Harper notices some odd happenings in the new house and a neighbor tells her it has a reputation for being haunted. She's not sure if the rumors are true until her younger brother Michael starts acting very strangely. His normally sweet temperament is gone and Harper wonders if his new imaginary friend, Billy, might have something to do with it. As other weird things occur in the house, Harper starts to do some research into the property and is scared by what is revealed. As Harper tries to help Michael, she can't help but feel like what happened during the time of her memory loss has something to do with it. If only she could remember......

This books has a lot going on. There is the current haunting and the buried secret of Harper's past. Also, she is Korean American and her families ancient traditions and estranged Grandmother are woven into the story as well. There was maybe one too many subplots that wasn't necessary, and it often felt like the author used scenes from every horror movie out there. It is a bit much as I reflect, but it all seems to work. Oh puts all the pieces together in the end, but it is pretty easy to guess what's happening throughout the book because it's story I've heard a few times before. The bit about Korean shamans was unique and a nice twist. It kept my interest and I wanted to keep reading until the big reveal and then the reveal after that and then the next one (lots of plot twists).

I won't buy it for my elementary library because there were parts that were really scary, but I would recommend it for middle grade students that like this kind of genre.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading #IMWAYR 2/26/2018

Sorry it's been so long! We've had a few bouts of the flu in our home along with lots of viruses. Hopefully, with nicer weather coming, the germs are outta here!


                                                              

I've read most of the Humphrey books and my youngest students LOVE them. Humphrey is the class hamster of room 26 and he tells his stories from his view of the room as the class pet. He gets a first row seat to the antics of the students in the class. All of the Humphrey books are always entertaining and popular in the library. The only negative thing I see about the Betty Birney books is that they are a little long for first and second graders to read on their own. They often came back to the library unfinished. I am THRILLED to discover that she has written Humphrey's Tiny Tales! This series features our beloved Humphrey, but the stories are shorter, the print is larger and there are pictures. These are perfect for emergent readers!

Humphrey's Mixed Up Magic Trick is a short tale about room 26. The children have been asked to do a presentation about what they want to be when the grow up. Miranda wants to be a magician and she chooses Humphrey as her assistant. It's a cute story that teaches the lesson that the sky is the limit and kids can choose whatever career they want as long as they work hard. I know that first grade students will love Tiny Tales and I will have a hard time keeping them on the shelf.


                                                         

This book sat on my bedside table for a while, and I am SO HAPPY I finally read it. It's a fantastic story. You Throw Like Girl by Rachele Alpine tells the story of Gabby's summer vacation at her grandmother's house. Gabby's father had been deployed in the military for a year and like her father, Gabby is a star baseball player. She and her father live and breathe the game and baseball keeps their father/daughter bond strong.  Before he leaves, she promises her father that she will be the starting pitcher on his old home town's team even though her mother would much rather Gabby compete in beauty pageants. On the first day of baseball sign ups, Gabby discovers that the girls team has been disbanded because most of the town girls are competing to become Miss Popcorn in the summer festival. To make matters worse, Gabby accidentally gets into the wrong line and ends up a pageant contestant. Seeing her baseball dreams slipping away, Gabby pretends to be "Johnny" and joins the boys team anyway convinced that she can play baseball and learn to be a beauty queen at the same time.

 Gabby can absolutely keep up with the boys on the field and of course, there are a lot of funny moments when her identity as a girl almost gets revealed. The story of the pageant is fun as well because she sees how much work goes into competing. Talent, interview and poise are NOT Gabby's strong points and being a baseball player is actually much easier for her. It is  nice to read about Gabby's growing relationship with her mother as they bond over beauty tips. She learns to have an appreciation for both activities and by the end, Gabby is reminded that there is no better identity than simply being herself.  I love an innocent middle grade book. There is nothing tragic happening here- just a funny and inspiring story that proves girls can be both pretty and athletic. There are some emotional scenes as the family misses their father, but it is overall lighthearted.


                                                          

Dirt by Denise Orenstein is definitely my heaviest book of the week. Eleven- year- old Yonder's mother has died and Yonder hasn't spoken a word since. Her father is suffering from a deep depression and he fails to notice that one, Yonder has stopped speaking, and two, she has stopped going to school. The kids are really mean to her so Yonder one day decides not to go anymore. This is all well and good until Miss Trudy from Child Services starts to look into Yonder's life. The only bright spot is Dirt, a one eyed overweight Shetland Pony that lives at the farm up to road. Yonder develops a deep bond with Dirt as he seems to understand her even when she doesn't speak. Yonder's life begins to revolve around the pony. He gives her the love and companionship that she is lacking everywhere else. She even moves him into her house which makes for some funny scenes. Unfortunately, quitting school and living with a farm animal isn't exactly in Yonder's best interest according to CPS, and she gets sent to a foster home. Finding her way back to Dirt becomes her main goal, but it's not as easy as Yonder thinks it will be since the pony gets sold to a traveling pet show.

This is a unique story and I suppose it could have been much sadder. I'm still trying to get away from these depressing books! The girls at school love them though, so I keep buying them for the library. Dirt has become a support animal for Yonder which can lead to a great  discussion of that growing topic, however, it's tough to see Yonder so neglected. Even though she finds happiness with Dirt, there are days when she barely has enough to eat and no clean clothes. Her foster home seems like a wonderful place, but I knew she would run as soon as she got there. Also, the end is very abrupt. She never starts to speak again which I found disappointing. There is a hint of promise that her father will try harder and that she will get to keep her pony which is hopeful. I would have loved for more of a concrete happy ending for such a young main character.  I would put Dirt in the hands of ages 10+

It's Monday What Are You Reading #IMWAYR 1/8/2018

All of my books today are not on my Must Read in 2018 list! I keep telling myself I have a full year to get to the list so I'm starting with some I've been meaning to read for a while.



                                                              

Nerdy Birdy Tweets in a newer book by one of my favorite authors Aaron Reynolds. I read this book to my 5th grade students and it was a hit!! Birdy and Vulture discover a new social media app called "Tweetster" and Birdy can't stop posting. He posts pics of Vulture without her permission and  spends his days staring at a screen obsessed with "likes" and comments instead of playing with his friend. Vulture finally has enough and confronts Birdy about his new social media habits.

This is a very funny and timely book about the effects of too much screen time and the absurdity of ignoring live people in favor of a device. I often feel like my students and my own children are slightly sick of hearing lectures from me about screen time and digital citizenship. This book is a great way to open the conversation and let them draw their own conclusions about Birdy's actions. I highly recommend this for ALL ages!!



                                                            

Lisa Graff is one of those authors that I find very confusing. There are some books she has written that are my favorites (Umbrella Summer) and some books that I didn't like at all (Tangle of Knots). For me, when she delves into magic she loses me. Her realistic fiction books appeal to me much more. Thankfully, The Great Treehouse War has no fantasy elements whatsoever and I really liked it!

Fifth grader Winnie's parents get divorced at the beginning of the story. What makes this situation so unique is the way her parents decide to split their time with her. Winnie's parents are sticklers for everything being exactly even, but seven days in a week will never divide evenly. That's when they come up with a unique plan for custody. Winnie will spend three day with her mom, three days with her dad and the last day alone in her treehouse which sits directly in the middle of her parents homes. Her Wednesday treehouse day quickly becomes her favorite as her parents begin to compete with one another for her affection. In a fun twist, her treehouse becomes a place that her parents can't legally access, and she decides to stay there full time until her parents stop their bickering. Winnie has a close group of friends that decide they too need some time away from their parents, so they join her in the treehouse until their lists of demands are met by the grownups (more screen time, more game time, etc). Soon, news of the kids living alone in a treehouse makes national headlines and the kids get much more attention than they bargained for.

This is a very fun book and I know my students really enjoy it, but her parents drive me crazy. I found their constant fighting over Winnie to be very frustrating. It was all extremely exaggerated such as fights over who she calls first, waves to first, leaves a note for first and so on. They constantly try to outdo each other and absolutely refuse to be in the same room together. Winnie is failing her classes and her parents are too concerned with which one of them the principal e-mailed first to actually care about her grades.  Winnie tries over and over to talk to them, but their arguing never lets up- thus the treehouse war begins.  The idea of an epic slumber party that never ends seems like a great idea in theory but in reality, the kids eventually learn that they miss and need their parents. Winnie is desperate to find a way for her parents to realize THEY need HER and to put their differences aside. Overall it is cute and clever and living in the treehouse seems like great fun. Once I accepted that her parents were the WORST, I enjoyed it much more. I think 3rd grade and up will like this book.


                                                                     

As a huge fan of Chris Grabenstein (Mr. Lemoncello's Library), I was excited to read the first in his new series Welcome to Wonderland: Home Sweet Motel. It's always a bonus when the main character is a boy because I know my male students will like it. Girls will read stories with male and female lead characters, but boys seem to like boy books the best. I know they will like this because this story is quite fun!

Eleven year old P.T. takes after his namesake P.T. Barnum. He is a great showman who tells outlandish yarns and entertains his class with all of his hijinxs. P.T. lives with his mother and grandfather in The Wonderland Motel. It's a fantastic place with quite a few attractions, but unfortunately, it has to complete with Disney World! The Wonderland would do well anywhere other than Orlando. Because business is so bad, the bank has given them 30 days to raise $100,000 or they will lose the property.  P.T. and his new friend Gloria have to THINK BIG! He's a born entertainer so he is hopeful his fun new plans along with Gloria's keen business skill will save the day, but it's not easy. When they come across an old mystery about a missing treasure, they are certain that following the clues will lead them to the money they need.

This is a very entertaining book! P.T. is a bit of a con man, but it's all in good fun. He is clever and sharp and Gloria is a great straight man for his routine, Their ideas to save the motel such as frog karaoke and beachfront scavenger hunts are very creative. I love the way P.T. respects and loves his grandfather as well. The only part I could have done without is the bumbling grumpy teacher Mr. Frumpkes who tries to foil P.T.'s grand plans. The scenes with him are just slightly disrespectful on both the part of the students and teacher. Other than that, it was an amusing adventure, and I'm looking forward to visiting the gang again in the next book. A great read for grades 3 and up!

#mustreadin2018

                                           

Happy 2018! Last year I had 40 books on my list and I completed 26 of them. I’m not counting the books I started and didn’t finish because there were a few I couldn’t force myself to keep reading! While I didn’t finish the list, I’m certain I read well over 50 titles. I am always coming across new books and authors I hadn’t planned on reading (Barnes and Noble shelf browsing is awesome). Besides the titles below, I have a few overall goals for reading this year. I want to read more early chapter books. My youngest students love to read, and I want to have a healthy selection for them. Also, my weakness is boy fantasy books. Outside of The Lightning Thief, I just DON’T LIKE THEM! My male students love The Warrior series and I have tried to like it, I promise I have! I can’t get through it. Regardless of my personal preference, I need to know what’s popular so I can keep that section of the library growing for fantasy genre lovers. My last goal is to try and stay away from sad books. No more death, illness, divorce, severe bullying, depression or tragic accidents. No more books about losing parents, siblings and best friends. I know these are all important topics, but I feel like I was inundated with them last year. I am convinced that I can find great stories that are positive. I know every tale needs a conflict but maybe the problems can be more minor.  I would rather my students get lost in a world of magic, mystery or silly fun instead of adding to their worries. Hopefully my 27 choices for this year will keep all of us smiling!